What’s in a title? …02

Unintended consequences of using unearned titles

A Taxing Question - 02

 A taxing question

A lot of political controversy has been generated over the tax reform bills proposed by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Those who welcome the reform have been variously described by financial and economic experts (including motor park/Okada rider economists) as forward thinking. Those against it have been classified as backward-looking, because they have loudly expressed a preference to stay stuck in the past.

A Taxing Question - 01

 A taxing question

A lot of political controversy has been generated over the tax reform bills proposed by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Those who welcome the reform have been variously described by financial and economic experts (including motor park/Okada rider economists) as forward thinking. Those against it have been classified as backward-looking, because they have loudly expressed a preference to stay stuck in the past.

Rich man, poor man

A struggling cabbie was assailed with slaps and insults by a high-handed politician.  A lot of heat was generated in the social media world where the majority thought he should seek redress.

But in our world, he knew he would be expected to grin and bear his ordeal with equanimity, while, on the other hand, his well-placed assailant would be expected to pervert the course of justice, or get a slap on the wrist.

Thus, knowing there are a lot of hurdles a man of his class would have to overcome to obtain justice, our cabbie friend jumped at the offer to exchange the pursuit of the case with financial and material reparations from his assailant. Wise man!

 

Guess Who's Coming To School

 

It is the International Day of the Girl Child today.

The cartoon below was first published in West Africa Magazine, in January 2001 under my weekly page, Watching Developments.

It was reissued in 2011, the year the UN declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, “to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world”.

What's in a title?

 

What’s in a title? Usually, a title is used before your name to show your status or profession. But we covet them for other reasons. We’ve come to realise that titles like: Prof, Dr, Chief, High Chief, Engineer, Architect, Barrister, Pastor, Evangelist, Alhaji, look good before our names to boost our ego, esteem and for self-promotion or to commit fraud. So, we go to any lengths to acquire them. Some even purposely adopt these titles as nicknames with the intention that with time they can be assumed earned or legit.

Of course, this is without any prejudice to the rights of individuals who earn their titles and use them correctly.

Like I said before TV…01-03

Have you noticed when a couple or more Nigerians sit down to watch television, particularly current affairs and personality interview shows, they talk over the TV? Oh yes, they make side comments about the presenters and their guests. They make and take phone calls, fiddle with their phones, play loud music in the background, dash in and out of the room and yet, after the programme is over, they are able to tell you what the discussants have said word-for-word!

How? You will find the answer in the following cartoons.

Toothless

 

Desperate times…..

 

Quelling Hunger By Any Means Necessary

 

Sitting on a powder keg….02 Be wise

 

Sitting on a powder keg…01 Why me?

 

The Characters on my street

Nigerian politicians are inured to name-calling. They wear the epithets well, like their flowing Babariga (Agbada) that hides layers of grubby undergarments. You call them names in the morning and by the afternoon you have accepted their invitation to join them for dinner. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

Damned if you do and damned if you don’t